Utility bag



Aug. 6, 1935 J. KLOTZ UTILITY BAG Filed 001;. 6, 1934 INV NTOR Jacob [0Z2 ATTORNiY Patented Aug. 6, 1935 Z AT I UTILITY BAG Jacob Klotz, New York, Y, Application October 6, 1934, Serial No..747,14 1 v i My present invention relates to a utility bag and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

Important objects of my invention are, to. provide a lightweight, smart appearing ,tra-velubag which will hold its shape when either full or empty, which can be easily andquickly opened and closedby the touch of ones fingers, which willhave when Open a wide mouth for facilitating access to the. interiorthereof, which will have a top closure that willfly open and so remain upon being imlatchedQand which will beadapted for generall e, such as for. carrying books,-gym outfits, skates, clothing, salesmens samples and other articles. Ajfurther object is-to provide a utility bag which will i have the above mentioned charact i t s which. ex i y. s m e ct t r in construction and which can be manufactured to sellat a price that. the general public can well afford.

The foregoing and other objects of my mve'm tion not specifically enumerated I accomplish by forminga bag having a bottom, side members and (and members, the bottombeing rigid and. prefer ably of flat rectangular shape, the side members extending upwardly from the-bottom and preferably inwardly-toward each other, andthe end mer'nbers 'terminating somewhat below the tops of 'the side members. 7 The side members at their upstanding and top edges arereinforced with flat resilientelements and said top edges in proximity to their ends are provided with cooperating snap fasteners adapted for interlocking engagement when the tops of the side members are brought into superposed contacting relation. The side members may also be provided with complemental handles and with a supplemental latching and locking means if desired.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description which follows when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a utility bag embodying the invention, parts thereof being broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of. the bag shown in Fig. 1 in open position, the carrying handles being omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fractional plan view of one of the upper corners of the side members of the bag, parts thereof being broken away.

Referring to the drawing, the utility bag may be said to consist of a rigid bottom member A which is preferably of rectangular form, side members B extending upwardly from the bottom and inclined toward each other, and end mem- 5 Claims. (o1. 190-43 bers C. connectedto both ithebottom and side members and :having their tops c terminating somewhat below the top edges b and-b of the side members. To afford the bag definite shape when either open or closed, empty or .full, the side members adjacent their upstandingends are provided with flat resilient elements D such: as flat steel bands or the like and with 'similar resilient reinforcing elements E adjacent their top edges, while the end members are reinforced at their tops with simllarelements G. These reinforcing elements may be secured to the respec tive members by being enclosed in pockets formed by sewing or otherwise securing backing strips d, e and g to thebacks of the thus reinforced members. The reinforcing elements Dand .E extend throughout the length and width of the side members respectively and preferably overlap at the upper'corners of said side members as best shown inFig. 3. 'I'helresilient elements Gare preferably of a length to cause themto be bowed slightly inwardly to facilitate the inward movement of the end members as the tops of the side members are brought together'in the act of closing thebag as hereinafter explained.

A closurefor the top of the bag may be provided by" bringing the portions of the side members adjacent their top edges into superposed contacting relation and. holding. the parts in said relation by any suitable means. An economical, quick acting and efiicient securing means may be provided by complemental snap fastener elements F and F which may preferably be mounted to extend through the overlapping portions of the reinforcing elements D and E as best shown in Fig. 3.

If desired the bag may be provided with supplemental latching and/or locking means intermediate the ends of the side members at the tops thereof, such as for example as shown by the lock H, the hasp h of which is carried by an extension strap secured to the top of the side member opposite to that which carries the lock proper. The bag may also be provided with suitable carrying handles J of any desired or preferred construction.

Due to the inherent resiliency of elements D and G which tend to assume their straight form it will be apparent that when the fastening elements which secure the top edges of the side members together are disengaged the tops of the side members will spring apart to maintain the top of the bag in open condition, as shown in Fig. 2, to afford ready access to the interior of the bag. To close the bag, one moves or bows inwardly the upper portions of the side members which project beyond the end members to bring the reinforced top edge I) which carries the snap fastener elements F into superposed contacting relation to the reinforced top b of the side member provided with the snap fastener elements F and simply presses the complemental snap fastener elements together. This closing action is preferably performed before the latching elements of the lock H are brought into engaging relation. To open the bag the latching elements of the lock H are first opened whereupon by applying a simple unlatching force to the snap fastener elements to disengage the same, the top of the bag will spring open and remain so.

In view of the foregoing it will be appreciated that I have provided a utility. bagpossessing all the characteristics set forth in the opening statement of this specification, and while I have shown and described but'a single embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction disclosed, since changes. may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

. What I claim is: I

1.-A utility bag comprising a bottom, side members and end members, the side members adjacent their. ends andtheir tops beingreinforced with fiat resilient strips extending substantially throughout the length and width of the side members, and complemental snap fastener elements extending through the side members adjacent their tops in proximity to their ends, said snap fastener elements being adapted for interlocking engagement'when the reinforced tops of the side members are brought into superposed contacting relation.

2. A utility bag comprising a bottom, side members and end members, the side members adjacent their ends and their tops being reinforced with flat resilient strips extending throughout the length and width of the side members and overlapping at the top corners of said side members, and complemental snap fastener elements extending through the overlapping ends of the reinforcing elements at the top corners of the side members, said snap fastener elements being adapted for interlocking engagement when the reinforced tops of the side members are brought into superposed contacting relation.

3. A utility bag comprising a rigid bottom, side members which incline toward each other and end members which terminate below the tops of the side members, said side members adjacent their upstanding ends being reinforced throughout their length with flat resilient elements, and quick acting complemental means at the tops of the side members for securing said members together, the tops of the side members being adapted upon disengagement of the securing means to spring apart due to the inherent resiliency of the reinforcing elements to maintain the top of the bag in open condition.

4. A utility bag comprising a rigid bottom, side members which incline toward each other and end members which terminate below the tops of the side members, said side members adjacent their upstanding ends being reinforced throughout their length with fiat resilient elements, said end members adjacent their tops being reinforced throughout their width with resilient elements which are normally bowed slightly inwardly and adapted to be further bowed as the tops of the sides are brought toward each other, and quick acting complemental means at the tops of the side members for securing said members together, the tops of the side members being adapted upon disengagement of the securing means to spring apart due to the inherent resiliency of theresilient elements to maintain the top of the bag in open condition. y

5. A utility bag comprising a rigid bottom, side members and end members which are connected to the side members and terminate below the 'tops' thereof, said side members at their tops having coacting means for holding said edges together to provide a closure for the bag, said end members adjacent their tops being provided throughout their width with resilient elements which are normally bowed and adapted to be further bowed as the tops of the sides are brought toward each other in the act of closing the bag, the side mem bers adjacent their tops being'adapted upon disengagement of the securing means to spring apart due to the inherent resiliency of the resilient elements in the end members.

JACOB KLOTZ. 

